Concealed Holder

ABSTRACT

A concealed holder is for retaining an object within a garment. An interior element having a surface with an area in the range three to thirty centimeters squared, magnetically paired with a first exterior element having a greatest linear dimension less than two centimeters, together provide configuration flexibility for minimizing, to user satisfaction, external visible evidence of the concealed object secured at an inside portion of a garment.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 shows a view of a first embodiment of a concealed holder, exterior to a garment.

FIG. 2 shows an exploded view of the first embodiment of the concealed holder.

FIG. 3 shows a view of a second embodiment of a concealed holder, interior to a garment.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

It is a new result, and unexpected discovery, that an interior element having a surface with an area in the range of three to thirty centimeters squared, magnetically paired with a first exterior element having a greatest linear dimension of less than two centimeters, together provide configuration flexibility for minimizing, to user satisfaction, external visible evidence of an object secured at an inside portion of a garment.

A concealed holder is comprised of an interior element. The interior element has an interior element surface for being placed on an inside surface of a garment, the garment provided by a user. A limited surface area of the interior element surface is between three and thirty centimeters squared. A retainer of the interior element is for supporting an item inside the garment. The item is provided by the user. The concealed holder is further comprised of a first exterior element. The first exterior element is for being placed on an outside surface of the garment proximal the interior element surface. Magnetic interaction occurs between the first exterior element and the interior element. Additionally, there is a maximum linear dimension of the first exterior element of two centimeters. Variable visibility of the first exterior element occurs when the user varies the placement of the first exterior element in relation to the interior element surface. A plurality of exterior elements can be utilized.

Limited size conditions and configurations of the exterior elements and the interior element surface allow the user of the concealed holder to vary both the visibility of the holder and weight held by the holder. As thickness of the garment changes, the user may wish to vary the arrangement of the exterior elements. Configurations of the exterior elements can reduce sag and other visible indicators of the holder on the exterior surface of the garment. Further, configurations of the exterior elements in relation to the interior element surface give the user a choice to vary the total weight held by the holder.

FIG. 1 is an illustration showing a view of a first embodiment of a concealed holder, from the exterior of a garment. The concealed holder has an interior element 12. The interior element 12 is placed on a garment 51, the garment 51 provided by a user. Specifically, a surface of the interior element 12 is placed on an inside surface of the garment 51. The interior element 12 has a retainer 13 for supporting an item 61 inside the garment 51. The concealed holder further has a first exterior element 11 a placed on an outside surface of the garment 51 proximal the interior element 12. The first exterior element 11 a magnetically interacts with the interior element 12. The first exterior element 11 a has a maximum linear dimension of two centimeters. The interior element 12 and the first exterior element 11 a function such that when the user varies the placement of the first exterior element 11 a in relation to the interior element 12, then the visibility of the first exterior element 11 a is varied. The concealed holder can further have a second exterior element 11 b, increasing the visibility options available to the user.

FIG. 2 is an illustration showing an exploded view of the concealed holder. The concealed holder is shown in exploded style with the interior element 12, the first exterior element 11 a, the optional second exterior element 11 b and the garment 51. The retainer 13 is shown supporting an item 61 provided by the user. Explosion lines 14 are depicted showing the assembled configuration of the concealed holder.

FIG. 3 shows a view of a second embodiment of a concealed holder, from the interior of a garment. This view shows the interior body 12 placed against an interior surface of the garment 51. The retainer 13 is shown as a ring operatively coupled to a retaining feature 21 of the interior element 12. The item supported by the retainer 13 is a pair of eyeglasses 71.

In all of the preceding configurations and embodiments, the interior element can be any suitable shape or magnetically attractive material for magnetically interacting with the first exterior element. The interior element could be a magnet, ferrous material, non-ferrous magnetically attractive material, or any combination thereof. The first exterior element could be a magnet, ferrous material, non-ferrous magnetically attractive material, or any combination thereof.

There can be multiple exterior elements in order to increase the options for arrangement available to the user. The exterior elements and interior elements could be made of a plastic, rubber, wood, metal, or other suitable housing to enclose a portion of those elements. Such housings could be made to match the color and texture of the user's garment.

Finally, the retainer could be any ring, hook and loop, adhesive, magnet, button, or other suitable means to retain the object within the garment.

In yet another embodiment of the concealed holder, there is a first exterior element 11 a, a second exterior element 11 b, and an interior element 12. The first exterior element 11 a and the second exterior element 11 b are each magnets holding the interior element 12, which itself is a magnet. The first exterior element 11 a and the second exterior element 11 b each have a maximum linear dimension of one centimeter and composed of a color matching the garment to aid in concealment of the concealed holder. The interior element 12 has one magnetic surface, exposed to an interior surface of a garment 51, where the magnetic surface is less than four centimeters squared. The retainer 21 of the interior magnet is a metal ring, the metal ring slid through a hole in a retaining feature of the interior element. A user can then slide the earpiece of eyeglasses 71 through this ring, to be supported by the concealed holder. In this embodiment, the first exterior element 11 a, the second exterior element 11 b, and interior element 12 are each right circular cylinders having a diametric dimension substantially exceeding the height dimension of the cylinder. 

I claim:
 1. A concealed holder comprising: an interior element; an interior element surface of the interior element, the interior element surface for being placed on an inside surface of a garment, the garment provided by a user; a limited surface area of the interior element surface, the limited surface area between three and thirty centimeters squared; a retainer of the interior element, the retainer for supporting an item inside the garment, the item provided by the user; a first exterior element, the first exterior element for being placed on an outside surface of the garment proximal the interior element surface; magnetic interaction occurring between the first exterior element and the interior element; a maximum linear dimension of the first exterior element, the maximum linear dimension of the first exterior element of two centimeters; and variable visibility of the first exterior element occurring when the user varies the placement of the first exterior element in relation to the interior element surface.
 2. The concealed holder of claim 1, wherein: the variable visibility of the first exterior element allowing for a variable weight to be supported by the retainer.
 3. The concealed holder of claim 1, wherein: the first exterior element is a magnet.
 4. The concealed holder of claim 1, wherein: the interior element is a magnet.
 5. The concealed holder of claim 1, wherein: the first exterior element is a magnet and the second exterior element is a magnet.
 6. The concealed holder of claim 1, further comprising: a second exterior element, the second exterior element for being placed on the outside surface of the garment proximal the interior element surface; magnetic interaction occurring between the second exterior element with the interior element; a maximum linear dimension of the second exterior element, the maximum linear dimension of the second exterior element of two centimeters; and variable visibility of the second exterior element occurring when the user varies the placement of the second exterior element in relation to the interior element surface.
 7. The concealed holder of claim 6, wherein: the variable visibility of the second exterior element allows for a variable weight to be supported by the retainer.
 8. The concealed holder of claim 6, wherein: the first exterior element is a magnet and the second exterior element is a magnet.
 9. The concealed holder of claim 6, wherein: the interior element is a magnet.
 10. The concealed holder of claim 6, wherein: the first exterior element is a magnet, the second exterior element is a magnet, and the interior element is a magnet.
 11. A concealed holder comprising: an interior element; an interior element surface of the interior element, the interior element surface for being placed on an inside surface of a garment, the garment provided by a user; a limited surface area of the interior element surface, the limited surface area between three and thirty centimeters squared; a retainer of the interior element, the retainer for supporting an item inside the garment, the item provided by the user; a first exterior element, the first exterior element for being placed on an outside surface of the garment proximal the interior element surface; magnetic interaction occurring between the first exterior element with the interior element; a maximum linear dimension of the first exterior element, the maximum linear dimension of the first exterior element of two centimeters; a second exterior element, the second exterior element for being placed on the outside surface of the garment proximal the interior element surface; magnetic interaction occurring between the second exterior element with the interior element; a maximum linear dimension of the second exterior element, the maximum linear dimension of the second exterior element of two centimeters; and variable visibility of the first exterior element and the second exterior element occurring when the user varies the placement of the first exterior element and the second exterior element in relation to the interior element surface. 